Yanun

Yanun is a village in the North of the West Bank, near Nablus. It is a small village of 60 people from five extended families. Because the land around Yanun is extremely fertile, Yanun used to survive off farming and selling of its goods. In the past decade, Yanun has suffered from worsening attacks by Israeli settlers living in the area. In 2002, the entire village was forced to evacuate by Israeli settlers. After the forced evacuation, international observers realized the need for an international presence in Yanun, in order to bring back the villagers and protect them from increasing attacks. At this point, the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel, a project of the World Council of Churches, established a station in Yanun of five internationals. After seeing the increased protection, villagers began to move back into the village. The population of 60 today, is only a small portion of the amount of people.

I recently went on a tour with EAPPI to visit Yanun. It was the first time I have been in this village. I have not spent much time in the north of the West Bank. The beauty of the surrounding area, made it hard to believe that this village is more frequently a place of violence from settlers than a place of peace and serenity.


The grass was incredibly long and green, because of the springtime weather. Olives used to be one of the main goods Yanun sold. These days, many of the olive trees are on lands that have been annexed to the settlement of Itimar. Only rarely can the men from Yanun tend to their trees, which has left them less fruitful in recent years.




The scenery around the village was beautiful. Unfortunately, most of the surrounding land is claimed as part of the municipal areas of the Itimar settlement. Each hill has a settlement outpost, manned each day. Because of these outposts, villagers can no longer use most of the land they used to use for farming. The mayor of Yanun told us that almost 90% of the land they used to use for farming, is now controlled by the settlers. For this reason, the villagers cannot grow enough to making money. They can only manage to grow enough to live on.






While we were in Yanun, there were no attacks by the settlers. It was hard to believe with the peaceful scenes that these events even occur. Frequently, however, settlers enter the village. They walk around with huge guns (I don't know gun types) in order to intimidate the villagers. Sometimes they will take a swim in the village well, or allow their dogs to drink out of it, which contaminates the water. The villagers must then empty the water, and buy new water to fill the well. In the past, settlers have even walked around the village sticking their guns in the windows of the houses. I can only imagine how frightening these actions must be for the villagers of the town.


EAPPI members told us about their work in the village. Children often play by their house, because they feel safer near the presence of internationals.


This is the village school. Children can go to the school until the age of 12, then they must go to high school in the nearby town of Aqraba. Some of the children then are able to go to University in Nablus. It is difficult for families to afford University, so often parents can only afford for the first child to attend University. It makes going to University more difficult and expensive, since the old road to Nablus is now closed, forcing the villagers to take a road that takes 1 hour, instead of 15 minutes to get to Nablus. Transportation to along this route, as well as living in Nablus, is an expensive cost now added to the cost of University.


The mayor of the village, spoke to us about the situation.






In true Palestinian style, the hospitality of the village was amazing. They served us tea, as well as lunch. All the food was made from ingredients grown in the village. It was incredibly delicious! I was also able to purchase olive oil, olives, roasted almonds, and zatar (a mixture of thyme and spices used frequently in Palestinian culture) from the villagers. They are some of the best tasting products I've ever tasted!

As is most things in this country, visiting Yanun was filled with mixed emotion. The beauty of the area was astounding, which makes the sadness of the deteriorating situation even more poignant. I find on days like this, I wish their was peace so that the beauty that is Palestinian culture and society could flourish.


The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) brings internationals to the West Bank to experience life under occupation. Ecumenical Accompaniers (EAs) provide protective presence to vulnerable communities, monitor and report human rights abuses and support Palestinians and Israelis working together for peace. When they return home, EAs campaign for a just and peaceful resolution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict through an end to the occupation, respect for international law and implementation of UN resolutions. For more visit their WEBSITE.
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Easter Sunrise Service

Living in Jerusalem, I have become part of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer's English speaking congregation. Every year, we have a sunrise service on Easter morning on the Mount of Olives, so that we can see the sunrise over the Judean Desert. This year we could see the Dead Sea and the mountains of Jordan in the distance. Here are a few photos of the day. All photos are courtesy of my friend Amber. Please check out her website: Amber Sue Photography. She's from Worthington and currently lives in the Twin Cities, so any of you Minnesotans needing a photographer, check her out! She also sells her photos from Jerusalem on Etsy: Amber Sue Photography on Etsy


The band had to be there at 4:30 am!


The sunrise. The gray line under the pink sunrise marks the mountains of Jordan.




My friend Brit took a video of us singing "Shine, Jesus Shine". Click HERE to see it.

Freedom from Oppression for ALL on Passover and Easter

Recently, my sister attended a lecture on genocide in Rwanda and wrote these words on her facebook: "What makes us decide that one human is more human than another? Arent we all the same? Are we not equal?" I am reminded of these words as we enter the Passover holiday and soon Easter in Jerusalem.

Passover is the celebration of when the Jews were freed from slavery in Egypt. It is a story of God's liberation. This story has been used in many quests for Freedom, such as freedom from Apartheid in South Africa and Civil Rights in the United States. In this country, especially for the Palestinians, it is hard to use this story as an expression of their hope for freedom, because it is this very story that is often used against them.

As a Christian, I do not read the story of Moses and the freedom of Jews from slavery as a story with a message only for the Jewish people. I read it as a story with God's universal message of hope and freedom for all the humans he has created on earth. I see all humans as equal and all deserving of freedom from oppression.

At the very time of Passover, a celebration of Freedom and liberation, the oppression of the Palestinian people continues and worsens. The Israeli government has announced closures of the West Bank and Gaza. They have also committed to increasing security around the Old City of Jerusalem. All these measures, lessen the freedom of the Palestinians. Those with permits from the West Bank and Gaza to celebrate Easter, may not be able to come to Jerusalem and celebrate. Even Christians in the Old City of Jerusalem, face restrictions of their freedom of worship, as the increased security within Jerusalem could affect their ability to get to church.

"What makes us decide that one human is more human than another?" I ask, "What makes a government (and the world who supports this government) decide which humans deserve more freedom?" As we reflect on the story of Moses and the Israelites, I hope and pray that we desire and work towards freedom for all people, so that one people's freedom of worship does not become more important than another's. As we reflect on Easter, I hope and pray that we begin to live in the footsteps of Jesus who said:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." (Luke 4:18-19)

For more on the issue of holiday closures for the Palestinians read:
Military Closure for West Bank on Passover
PA: Jewish freedom holiday restricts Palestinians

(Image depicting Palestinians going to Jerusalem through military checkpoints by Zaki baboun, a local Bethlehem artist)

Reflections after a Long Hiatus

You all probably thought I fell off the face of the planet. Well, I'm happy to say that I haven't, I just got consumed with vacations and schoolwork and kept pushing off the blog thing.

I'll start out with a short reflection on what I've been thinking about the past few months.

When I came back to Jerusalem in September, I came back with what I would call a "balanced" perspective. I wanted to learn how to live here happily and see the good in both sides. I had idealistic ideas that if both sides simply talked to each other and there was peace education then peace would come easily. I do believe that both sides need to talk to each other and that the ever growing separation is only building fear and hostility on both sides. I am slowly coming to realize that this is simply not enough. I am not so sure if a "balanced" perspective, is a helpful perspective.

I am reminded of a quote by Desmond Tutu ( a similar sentiment is now painted on the separation wall) that goes as such: "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality."

This quotation convicts me that I should not be neutral in my "balanced" perspective. It's ok to listen to both sides and even enjoy parts of the culture of both sides, but there are clear injustices in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The conflict is not balanced. It is clear when living here, that Israel is much strong than Palestine, and the daily injustices carried against Palestinians are clear. I am still filled with frustration, sadness, awe of the injustice, every time I cross the checkpoint, every time I think of families that were kicked out of their homes in Sheikh Jarrah, so that settlers could move in, every time I hear of children being harassed by settlers on their way to school, and every time I hear of an old man stabbed in his bed by soldiers in the middle of the night. These are the stories that don't make the big headlines. World news hears of bus bombings in Jerusalem and the escalation in Gaza and southern Israel, but rarely are the daily travesties of Palestinian life heard in the world news, yet these are the things that happen most often and are the most harrowing on a people and the spirit.

I will continue to listen and to learn, but I know that their is injustice in this place and I am continually convicted to not stand by as a mere neutral observer.